Johnny Cueto facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Johnny Cueto |
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Cueto with the Marlins in 2023
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| Free agent | |||
| Pitcher | |||
| Born: February 15, 1986 San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic |
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| debut | |||
| April 3, 2008, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) |
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| Win–loss record | 144–113 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.52 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,857 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Johnny Cueto Ortiz (born February 15, 1986) is a professional baseball pitcher from the Dominican Republic. He is currently a free agent, meaning he can sign with any team. He has played for several teams in Major League Baseball (MLB), including the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox, Miami Marlins, and Los Angeles Angels.
Cueto started his MLB career in 2008. By 2011, he became one of the best pitchers in the National League. In 2012, he won 19 games and had a low earned run average (ERA) of 2.78. He finished fourth in the voting for the National League Cy Young Award, which is given to the best pitcher. He helped the Reds win their division title. In 2014, he won 20 games and led the National League in strikeouts with 242. He was the runner-up for the Cy Young Award that year.
In 2015, Cueto helped the Kansas City Royals win the World Series. He pitched an amazing game in Game 2 of the World Series, allowing only two hits. This was the first complete World Series game pitched in over 20 years. He was also chosen as an MLB All-Star in 2014 and 2016. From 2011 to 2017, Cueto had one of the lowest ERAs among all pitchers who pitched a lot of innings. In 2018, he had a surgery called Tommy John surgery to fix his elbow.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Johnny Cueto Ortiz was born on February 15, 1986, in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic. He started his professional baseball journey when he signed with the Cincinnati Reds in 2004. He was an amateur free agent and received a $35,000 bonus.
Minor League Journey
Cueto spent three seasons playing in the minor leagues. He showed great talent at different levels. In 2007, he really stood out, moving up through three different levels in just one season. He was named the Reds' Minor League Pitcher of the Year for two years in a row.
Major League Baseball Career
Cincinnati Reds (2008–2015)
Rookie Season in 2008
Cueto made his first MLB appearance on April 3, 2008, with the Reds. He pitched an amazing game, not allowing any runners for the first five innings. He ended up striking out 10 batters in seven innings and earned his first win. He was the first Reds pitcher since 1900 to have 10 strikeouts in his first MLB game. Even with this great start, Cueto had some ups and downs during his rookie year. He finished 2008 with 9 wins and 14 losses.
Growing as a Pitcher in 2009 and 2010
In 2009, Cueto started as the Reds' fourth pitcher. He had some strong performances, including pitching eight shutout innings in one game. He showed a lot of improvement in his pitching control. In 2010, Cueto continued to get better. He pitched a one-hit shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He finished the 2010 season with 12 wins and 7 losses. After this season, the Reds and Cueto agreed to a four-year contract.
Breakout Year in 2011
The 2011 season was a big one for Cueto. He started late due to an injury but quickly became one of the league's top pitchers. He pitched a three-hit, complete game shutout in July. He was among the league leaders in ERA for much of the season. Cueto finished 2011 with 9 wins and 5 losses, and a very low 2.31 ERA.
2012: A Top Pitcher
In 2012, Cueto had an excellent season. He won 19 games and had a 2.78 ERA. This was the first time he pitched over 200 innings in a season. He also threw two complete games. He was one of the best pitchers in the National League, ranking high in wins, ERA, and innings pitched. The Reds won their division title, and Cueto finished fourth in the voting for the Cy Young Award. Unfortunately, he left his first playoff game early due to a back injury.
2013: Dealing with Injuries
Cueto faced many injuries in 2013, which limited him to only 11 starts. Despite the injuries, he still pitched well when he played, with a 5-2 record and a 2.82 ERA. He was chosen to start a playoff game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The crowd was very loud, and Cueto struggled, leading to a loss for the Reds.
2014: All-Star and Cy Young Runner-Up
After his injury-filled 2013, Cueto had an amazing 2014 season. He started strong, pitching at least seven innings in his first nine games. He threw a complete game, three-hit shutout against the Pirates, striking out 12 batters. He even threw complete games in back-to-back starts.
In July, Cueto was selected for his first All-Star Game. He was among the league leaders in ERA, strikeouts, and innings pitched. On September 28, 2014, Cueto earned his 20th win of the season. He was the first Cincinnati Reds player to win 20 games since 1988. He finished the season with 20 wins and 9 losses, and a 2.25 ERA. He also tied for the most strikeouts in the National League with 242. Cueto finished second in the National League Cy Young Award voting.
2015: Final Season with the Reds
In 2015, Cueto reached 1,000 career strikeouts. He continued to pitch deep into games, showing his endurance. Despite his good pitching, the Reds were not doing well as a team. So, the Reds decided to trade Cueto to a team that was competing for a championship.
Kansas City Royals (2015)
On July 26, 2015, Cueto was traded to the Kansas City Royals. In his first home game with the Royals, he pitched a complete game shutout, allowing only four hits. After a strong start, he had some struggles towards the end of the regular season.
In the playoffs, Cueto helped the Royals win. In Game 5 of the American League Division Series, he pitched eight dominant innings, striking out eight batters. The Royals won that game, moving on to the next round.
Cueto started Game 2 of the World Series. He had his best playoff performance ever, pitching a complete game and giving up only two hits and one run. This helped the Royals win 7-1 and take a 2-0 lead in the series. The Royals went on to win the World Series in 5 games, giving Cueto his first championship ring!
San Francisco Giants (2016–2021)
2016: All-Star Starter and Giants Star
On December 16, 2015, Cueto signed a six-year contract with the San Francisco Giants. He quickly became a key pitcher for them. On April 26, he won his 100th career game, pitching a 1-0 complete game shutout. He was the twelfth Dominican-born pitcher to reach 100 wins in MLB history.
Cueto was selected for his second All-Star game in July. He had 12 wins and only one loss at that point. He was even chosen to be the starting pitcher for the National League in the 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
Cueto finished his first season with the Giants with 18 wins and 5 losses, and a 2.79 ERA. He pitched 219.2 innings and had 198 strikeouts. He led the league in complete games with five. He was one of only six pitchers in the National League to pitch at least 200 innings that year. Cueto finished sixth in the voting for the National League Cy Young Award.
2017: Injuries and Ups and Downs
Cueto started 2017 as the Giants' second pitcher. He had some good starts early on, but then dealt with injuries, including blisters on his pitching hand and a forearm injury. He was placed on the injured list in July. He finished the season with 8 wins and 8 losses.
2018: Tommy John Surgery
In his first start of 2018, Cueto pitched six perfect innings. He started the season very strong with a low ERA. However, in May, he was diagnosed with an elbow sprain. Later, in August, it was announced he would need Tommy John surgery, which ended his season. This surgery helps repair a damaged elbow ligament.
2019: Coming Back from Surgery
After his surgery, Cueto spent some time in the minor leagues to get back in shape. He returned to the Giants in September 2019, pitching five shutout innings in his first game back. He made four starts that season as he continued his recovery.
2020 and 2021 Seasons
In the shortened 2020 season, Cueto made 12 starts for the Giants. In 2021, he had 7 wins and 7 losses with a 4.08 ERA in 22 games.
Later Career (2022–2024)
Chicago White Sox (2022)
On April 4, 2022, Cueto signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox. He was called up to the major leagues on May 16 and made his White Sox debut that same day.
Miami Marlins (2023)
In January 2023, Cueto signed a one-year contract with the Miami Marlins. He had to deal with more injuries, including a biceps injury and a sprained ankle, which kept him off the field for a while. He returned in July but struggled in his limited appearances. He became a free agent after the season.
Texas Rangers (2024)
On April 23, 2024, Cueto signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers. He pitched in 8 games for their Triple-A team before becoming a free agent again in July 2024.
Los Angeles Angels (2024)
Cueto signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels on July 20, 2024. He made two starts for the Angels before being released in August 2024.
Pitching Style
Cueto is known for his unique and interesting wind-up. Sometimes, he spins his body so his back faces the batter before he throws the ball. This style has been compared to famous pitchers like Luis Tiant. He throws several different pitches, including a four-seam fastball, a two-seam fastball, a slider, a cutter, a changeup, and a curveball. He often uses his slider when he has two strikes on a batter.
World Baseball Classic
Cueto has represented the Dominican Republic national baseball team in the World Baseball Classic. He played in the 2009 tournament, earning a win in his only start. He was unable to play in the 2013 and 2017 tournaments due to injuries or family reasons.
Personal Life
Johnny Cueto has three children: two sons named Johnny Jr. and Joande, and a daughter named Yeiliani.
See also
In Spanish: Johnny Cueto para niños
